[from the pages—or rather, springs of Ranma ½, we bring to you. . .]

[onlyhonournow]

 [today, there's a rather large dog sitting, looking very reserved while gazing at the sky above the Fussin' Overlook]

[the dog seems rather familiar: there's something in its expression—and I mean, there can't be that many white dogs with red accents who have two swords strapped to their backs.] 

Comments

[bythehorns]

[You shouldn't be surprised at the weird things that happen around here, but now it looks like somebody's lusus has shown up! Not anybody's that you know, you don't think. You've never met anybody with a barkbeast lusus. Well, not in your own universe. But this might not be your universe! You're confusing yourself.]

[Tavros: commune with barkbeast lusus.]

((THE VOICE IS COMING FROM INSIDE YOUR HEAD))

Um, hello, where did, you come from?

[onlyhonournow]

[!! the dog's ears perk up, and he looks cautiously around, sniffing at the air]

. . . Tavros? ... You can do that?

[and it speaks. in a very familiar voice.]

[bythehorns]

. . .

. . .

? ? ?

Uuhhh, this is, extremely, unexpected....

[onlyhonournow]

[he wags his tail, softly in happy recognition, but remains seated]

Tell me about it.

[bythehorns]

[You come closer. You are pretty sure that even as a completely different creature Drift is still not going to attack you.]

So, what happened, to make you, turn into a barkbeast? Or, I guess, maybe, turn back, I don't know...

[onlyhonournow]

[lowering his head and lying down to make himself less ... large, as he was about Tavros's height while seated.]

[since dogs can't laugh, he just exhales a little whine and props his muzzle up on his paws]

I think I ... sprang a little too far ahead of myself, so to speak.

[bythehorns]

[You sit down next to barkbeast Drift and reach out to skritch him between the ears]

I don't think I understand, how that could make you, turn into, a thing you are not, usually.

[onlyhonournow]

[oh, that's, nice. Didn't know that would be nice. He leans into it, tail twitching in contentment]

I discovered a spring with... transformative qualities. [pauses, nosing Tavros' hand eagerly for pettins]

I guess they wanted to give me a little warning—or a reward, depending on how you look at it.

[bythehorns]

[You keep petting. That is what you do with fluffy animals, pretty sure.]

Um, a warning?

[onlyhonournow]

[friendly lick. he's warm and slobbery. and soft. very different from usual.]

Not to be so keen in my explorations, perhaps. It's only temporary, I feel.

[pincerattack]

[what is it with this place and weird fauna? who the hell gives a barkbeast one sword, let alone two, and why does this fact make you feel irrationally cranky? ...still, you had pretty good luck glaring at that alotbeast, who is now your minion and co-ruler of the plains. so you're going to glaaaare.]

[onlyhonournow]

[the dog gets a rather mischievous look on his fact for a split second, before... barking. Loudly.]

[pincerattack]

[fucking barkbeast, what does it think it's doing? and maybe you jump a little bit in surprise, because barking is not the correct response when you haven't even yelled at it yet. you think that's pretty justified when there's a barkbeast with swords.]

WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM, BARKBEAST?

[onlyhonournow]

[huffing, in amusement. Rolling over, submissively. AND IT SPEAKS, why oh why does it sound... so... robot-y?:]

Hello, Karkat.

[pincerattack]

[now you really are jumping back, because WHAT THE HELL BARKBEASTS CAN'T TALK THIS IS FUCKED UP. setting aside that the sword-carrying barkbeast is speaking, we all remember what happened the last time you ran into a suspiciously intelligent barkbeast monster with a sword, namely, it destroyed twelve planets and two dream planets and like everything fucking else. HAVE WE ESTABLISHED YET IN WHAT DIRECTION THIS SITUATION IS FUCKED? BECAUSE IT IS UP.]

I REALIZE MY INCOMPETENCE MUST BE LEGENDARY IN ALL THE WORLDS BY NOW, BUT THAT STILL DOESN'T EXPLAIN HOW YOU APPARENTLY KNOW ME BY SIGHT, WEIRD TALKING BARKBEAST.

[onlyhonournow]

[we are beginning to realise that Drift was dropped into cave for the sole purpose of making Karkat's life 20% more awkward and at least 5% more hard.]

[rolls back onto his belly, but remains flopped, with his ears tilted back a little out of apprehension]

Sorry.

[pause, as you remember nobody likes you :(]





... It's Drift. I'm Drift.

[pincerattack]

[what the hell WHAT IS LOGIC you don't even know anymore]

HOW THE HELL IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE, YOU'RE A ROBOT! YOU CAN'T JUST SPONTANEOUSLY TRANSFORM INTO ORGANIC MATTER LIKE THAT! IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY! PHYSICS AND BIOLOGY DO NOT FUCKING WORK THAT WAY!

[onlyhonournow]

[ears all the way back now, yelling is a lot more uncomfortable when you have doggy hearing :( :(]

I'm just as surprised as you are. ... but maybe not as angry.

[a small, low whine escapes from his muzzle]

[bythehorns]

Well, um, I guess, that would be not so bad, unless you decided, you like it better this way, and you don't want to go back....

[onlyhonournow]

[ears flip-flop]

Everything changes. When I return to ... my usual form, I won't be the same as I was before.

[bythehorns]

You mean, like that saying, by Troll Ice T, about how, you can't step, in the same river twice?

[onlyhonournow]

[what time is it? it's time for gentle face-lickings!]

Exactly like that.

[ice_and_steel]

[A dog. That's new. It doesn't appear to be prone to attacking, though, unlike almost every dog she's ever met. Granted, most of the ones she's met were either monsters or trained to attack anything not their handlers.]

[How does one handle a non-attacking dog? Stabbing would not be appropriate given the lack of attacking.]

[She approaches cautiously.]

[onlyhonournow]

[it lowers its head, tail wagging happily, but stays where it is]

[it is also quite large, as she will notice as it leans a head out to sniff her, speaking softly?!]

Hello, Celes.

[ice_and_steel]

[Talking dogs are definitely new. She makes herself let go of the lightning she started to summon in sheer startlement, making her hair frizz out on end all around her in the static discharge]

[very puzzled] ....Drift?